Downpour of Unending Grace: My Cup Overflows

As I sit here in Maucker Union trying to write this post my mind is still overwhelmed with all that God did this weekend. I am in awe of how God works. Like Stan Hayek said this weekend, "Think about how you got to be sitting in that chair right now, It was "coincidence" with a big G". God had already been at work in all of the people's lives that were there this weekend. Going into the weekend I was super tired and bogged down. The past week had been stressful and I was pretty tired. I was ready for the retreat. The topic of the retreat was the Gospel, which I loved. It is only through Jesus that we have life. Every day I need to be reminded of all that Christ has done for me. That he not only took my punishment for sin on himself and died for those sins. But he also defeated the punishment through rising again three days after. Through Christ I have life and relationship with God. How quick my heart is to forget that. The proper response to the Gospel is to repent and believe. Saturday night we talked about confessing. Confessing that sin/sins that are weighing you down. I had somehow forgotten about the repenting aspect and forgotten that I need God's grace everyday. To confess is to agree with God about your sin and to have a right posture of our hearts. I must confess that the posture of my heart has been not right for a while. I have been holding onto a lot. After this summer it seemed that my trust in God had limits. I didn't have "Trust without borders" instead I had been gripping my hurt tightly in my hands and I hadn't let go. In fact I was holding onto a lot; Hurt, Bitterness, despair, sadness, longing, and pride. I didn't have joy in the lord. The dictionary definition of joy is :
  the emotion of great delight or happiness caused by something 
exceptionally good or satisfying; keen pleasure; elation

The only true good and satisfying thing is God. During worship saturday night God was working in my heart. I started to weep, He was telling me that he loves me and to let go, let go of it all. After the music had ended I looked all around me and I saw tear filled faces. In light of the who Christ is and the good news of the Gospel there is but one response, to repent and believe. Sometimes it might be painful and there might be tears but there will be in joy in being right with God. In our connection group it was painfully awkward at first saturday night. One after the other though, our girls confessed out of hearts that wanted to be made right with God. We were all crying by the end of group. It was so cool to see God work not only in Haley, my co-leader, and I's hearts but in all of our girls as well. There was so much weight lifted that night. God never ceases to amaze me. His love is unconditional and his grace is unending. My cup overflows with His grace. Nothing can compare to His joy.

The next response to the Gospel after repentance and believing is to be baptized. I got to see 26 brothers and sisters in Christ be baptized this weekend. Nothing is more beautiful than the symbol of Christ's resurrection in baptism.

We serve an amazing God. I can't wait to see what he does next through those that were at the retreat and The Salt Company in Cedar Falls.

I surrender :Hillsong Live

Here I am
Down on my knees again
Surrendering all
Surrendering all

Find me here
Lord as You draw me near
Desperate for You
Desperate for You

I surrender

Drench my soul
As mercy and grace unfold
I hunger and thirst
I hunger and thirst

With arms stretched wide
I know You hear my cry
Speak to me now
Speak to me now

I surrender
I surrender
I wanna know You more
I wanna know You more
[x2]

Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a rushing wind
Jesus breathe within
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Like a mighty storm
Stir within my soul
Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

Lord have Your way
Lord have Your way in me

I surrender
I surrender
I wanna know You more
I wanna know You more

Gracious Tempest:Hillsong Young and Free 

Your love towers over me
Gracious tempest in the sea
Your love is like a storm

Let this tide of mercy rain
Let it flood my heart again
Surround me like an ocean

Your love is crashing over me
Surging like a raging sea
Immerse me in the wonder of Your love

A downpour of unending grace
Consuming all my reckless ways,
My sins submerged
Your love has saved my soul
Your love is like a storm

Your love is crashing over me
It's surging like a raging sea
Immerse me in the wonder of Your love

A downpour of unending grace
Consuming all my reckless ways,
My sins submerged
Your love has saved my soul
Your love is like a storm
Your love is like a storm
Your love is like a storm
Your love is like a storm